The Stannard family of Bedfordshire produced some of the finest watercolours of the county. Emily, born in Eversholt, was no exception. With tuition from her father and brother she excelled in the medium, and exhibited works at the Crystal Palace Exhibition and the Royal Society of British Artists. The Ouse river, particularly  near Newnham Bridge, was a favourite subject, and her picture of the bridge itself was commended as follows:

"Miss E. Stannard's picture of Newnham Bridge, with willows in full foliage, was full of rich and faithful treatment and assuredly deserves some distinction".

The scenes painted by Emily evoke the gentle beauty of Bedfordshire's waterways in the nineteenth century, capturing the sunlight on the elms and willows and the solitude of the undeveloped river banks.  Tragically,  Emily contracted tuberculosis at the age of twenty-four, an illness from which she never recovered. Her death at the age of thirty-one brought a sad end to a life which delighted in music and beauty and produced some fine watercolours. Her pictures give every indication that she could have become the most accomplished member of her family. Emily was buried in Bedford Cemetery on 3 April 1906.

Return to The Artists Page

 Next Artist